


Dwell, clothed in radiance

by wyntre



Series: Bright Star, Would I Were Steadfast As Thou Art [2]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 12:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19791100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wyntre/pseuds/wyntre
Summary: The stars are always there. They remind Crowley of who he used to be.Or; Aziraphale asks Crowley about the stars.





	Dwell, clothed in radiance

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "The stars are mansions built by Nature’s hand" by William Wordsworth.

_ "Beautiful nebula, I helped build that one." _

"Tell me about the stars, my dear," Crowley's head was nestled on Aziraphale's soft thigh, deft gentle fingers carding through his deep red hair

"My name was Tamiel before I Fell. The other Watchers and I, we were asked by God to light the night sky for Her creations down on Earth so they wouldn't feel so alone. We went out into inky blackness and clicked our fingers." Crowley paused. "I held burning cores in the palms of my hands and picked them up one by one, placing them in patterns, which humanity would come to call constellations." Crowley's words flowed like poetry, but Aziraphale could feel the depth of sadness under them, and the tremulous way Crowley spoke of Heaven revealed the trauma he had been through. "I designed Alpha Centauri, I placed Proxima Centauri in the sky and scattered a million stars around it, formed planets into being from the leftover stardust on my fingers." Aziraphale's fingers stilled in Crowley's hair as he mentioned Alpha Centauri. 

"Is that why you wanted to go? To take me?" The angel's voice was soft. "We can still go, if you want."

Crowley smiled ruefully. "Perhaps one day. I also designed the constellation that became known as Orion."

"That was you?"

Crowley nodded. "I hung all those stars, angel. They were for someone, I hoped they would realise, but they didn't; and then I Fell."

"Who?" Aziraphale's fingers resumed their ministrations of Crowley's hair. 

"I fell in love with another angel. He was beautiful, fair and so very kind. But he was, and is, a Principality. And I knew he would never look my way, so I hung Orion, hoping he'd notice."

Aziraphale's voice caught in the back of his throat, he knew what that meant. "What was his name?"

"His Angelic Name is the chorus of a thousand dying and rebirthing stars, the hush on a warm summer evening, the gentle uplifting rush of wings in circled flight, the smell of rain on dry earth." Crowley's golden eyes sought understanding from Aziraphale's. 

"Me?"

"Yes, you." Crowley sat up. "I remember you in Heaven, angel. I remember watching you as you drilled in the yard with the other soldiers. You were more beautiful than the stars I hung or the nebulas I helped build." There was a moment's silence, as Crowley's words sunk in and time seemed to stretch into oblivion.

"I watched you hang your stars, Crowley." Aziraphale's voice was soft and trembling, taking care not to stumble over itself in its rush to be the first thing to fill the space between words; of impossible things unsaid and implied. "Though, I did not know who you were. I watched you mold nebulas from Heaven's clouds. I thought you the most divine of all Her creations." The angel moved in to close the gap, where hot breaths mixed and Crowley tasted of stardust, hellfire and vanilla. "I loved you then, my dear. I love you now."

Crowley made a noise that sounded like an old computer restarting. He ran lithe fingers over Aziraphale's soft face, cupping his cheek; a gesture Aziraphale leant into. "I promise to take you to the stars."

**Author's Note:**

> Tamiel is one of the named Watchers in the First Book of Enoch who Fell with the other Watchers. He was also a teacher of astronomy. I know the fandom generally feels that Crowley was Raphael when in Heaven, but that doesn't quite work for me as Raphael never Fell.


End file.
